How to Make a Photo Booth More Fun – From High Tech to No Tech

January 24th, 2012 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

This past year saw a lot of action our YouBooth photo booth.  And we’ve learned a lot from these events!  We love distilling what these experiences have taught us and bringing new ideas to our clients.  Some ideas are pretty high tech and probably require a technician (like us!), but others are easy and anyone can do them.

Our latest and best innovation for the YouBooth photo booth is our Social Media Portal.  We’ve created a way that seamlessly allows everyone to email their YouBooth photos to anyone else, and to upload them to Facebook and Twitter.  People LOVE this feature!  The Social Media Portal makes sharing photos really easy and it extends the brand awareness for any corporate event.

The Social Media Portal requires a Wifi connection and our equipment.  The portals attach to almost any table or counter – the more portals you have, the better!  Easy image sharing guarantees your event will be remembered.

Another technical addition for the YouBooth is projecting the images onto large screens in the room.  People love to see their photos blown up on the wall – for most of them this is as close as they’ll come to being in the movies!

We’ve incorporated some fun No Tech ideas into our YouBooth events as well.  Props, of course, are always a hit.  We used holiday-themed props again this year and they were more popular than ever.

We’ve also included dry erase boards and large markers, allowing people to create their own fun signs.  The quick signs encourage creativity and yield some truly funny (and memorable) photos.  It’s fun to use a question-answer format, with a question printed on the photo above the shot, and the answer written on the board.

 

And remember, the photo booth backdrop can make a world of difference.  Some corporate clients use a standard step-and-repeat banner, but others (like Nintendo) take it a step further and use fantastic product artwork.  Of course, flowers always have great affect, softening the overall effect and adding shots of color. 

A Look Back on 2011: Lessons Learned From the Trenches

January 18th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The overall morale in 2011 was higher than it has been for the past three years.  There was hopefulness in the air.  Here at 5^th Avenue Digital, we saw:

•    Companies having summer outings and holiday parties for the first time in years.

•      Advertisers spending marketing dollars on events with consumer interaction and (thankfully) photo capture, for   mementos or social media benefit.

•     The return of corporate incentive trips and large company celebrations.

•      Companies putting money back into their image and deciding to update their employee’s headshots.

•      Business surging once again for the venues and planners we work with.

It seems like everyone is starting to see the economic woes dissipate. The many jobs we were lucky enough to be part of this past year indicate we are on our way, after two years of corporate celebrations being relegated to the back burner.

I’ve worked hard to assemble a team of super-talented photographers, who have captured not only incredible corporate images this year but have also taken our 5^th Avenue Social division to new heights.  We have partnered with a dynamic group of planners and venues and are very excited to share our new portfolios that feature images from their clients’ events.  I am already anticipating the new images we’ll be seeing in the coming months.

 

One of my proudest accomplishments in 2011 is the newest model of the YouBooth photo booth.  The collaborations with our clients have allowed us to introduce the newest technology crazes to their events.  The YouBooth has a new exterior design, plus the most exciting new feature: a social media application that allows guests to upload their photos directly to Twitter, Facebook or email.

This year the YouBooth was proudly used at pop-up store events, holiday parties, mitzvahs, weddings – any occasion where fun was required.  What we love the most is finding creative solutions that maximize each client’s use of the booth.  I owe a special shout-out to my producer, Rylan Crooks, for always finding ways to execute our clients’ unending ideas of how they envision using the YouBooth.

Building a strong business in this economic time is certainly a challenge.  We have watched many of our partners in event planning scale down the past few years, and it’s so comforting to watch them scale back up.  We are very grateful for their trust in us and we treasure these partnerships.

I am also very grateful to my 5^th Avenue Digital team: the amazing group inside the office, Beth, Rylan and Tim, and the photographers, videographers and designers that make our clients their number one priority.  Teamwork and partnerships have been the overall theme in 2011.  Knowing that you have the right people in the ship makes being the captain a joy.  I am grateful every day that I get to work with the team I have, and I would not have been able to double our business this year if it hadn’t been for them.  There have been some rough waters in terms of owning a photography business over the past three years, but it looks like smoother sailing ahead.

Thank you all who have contributed to an amazing 2011.  We will be sharing some of our favorite photographic moments in galleries over the next few weeks.  Here are a few more of my favorites.

Headshots Make a Difference

November 14th, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

We’ve long known the impact professional headshots can make to enhance a company’s image, but we recently found out that great headshots can also make a big difference to a not-for-profit organization, too.  In this case, the organization was the International Special Events Society (ISES) and the occasion was the Biz Bash Expo.

At this year’s Biz Bash Expo, we partnered with ISES to ramp up membership recruitment at their booth.  Every year at the Expo, ISES hosts a booth where they offer information and on-the-spot membership sign-up.  Typically, people have taken the information and deferred the membership application.  This year, ISES wanted to encourage memberships at the Expo by offering a free headshot to those who signed up, complete with professional make-up.

The membership drive was a huge success!   ISES garnered 15 new memberships at the Biz Bash Expo, a record for the New York Chapter and perhaps, they think, for the entire organization.  Seems on-the-spot headshots were the perfect incentive. Read the rest of this entry »

The Fun (and Art) of Marketing YouBooth photobooth at Trade Shows

October 26th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Having been in the event industry for over 20 years, naturally I’ve become adept at working trade shows and other industry events.  I like them because they offer opportunities to mingle with some of the movers and shakers in both the social and corporate events industry.  This week was one of the most fulfilling for my little networking self.

The YouBooth photobooth was a huge hit at The Knot gala, the first event I attended in my marathon week of networking events.  We brought in our YouBooth “photobooth” to give everyone there a chance to see it in action.  Carley and her dynamo team at The Knot were lovely to work with and many industry friends stopped by to check out the photobooth. Read the rest of this entry »

Onsite print for British Tourism-testimonial

October 14th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

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Nice to finally meet you as well, and thanks for bringing the frames down after-hours.

Michael and Stavros were great to work with.  Both gentlemen went above and beyond my expectations for the evening.  You’ve got a great team there!

Cheers…!

Glenn Reimer/Fourth Wall Events

Onsite print with Bernard Hopkins-testimonial

October 5th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

It has been my pleasure working with you and your team as well.  Stavros and Julia were professional, personable, and produced high quality photos.
Everyone was pleased with the outcome of this event and your team was definitely a part of that success.

I look forward to working with you in the future!

Zenitra Perry

Sales Developement

HBO

Rave Reviews for Onsite printing with Carmelo Anthony

September 30th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Thank you again to the 5th Avenue Digital team for helping us pull off a spectacular event last night with the tightest of schedules!  Everyone was amazing and Stavros was fantastic, keeping the line moving and managing some of the “challenging” guests.  Our client was thrilled with how things went and this effort was a big part of that, stepping in late in the game and rising to the occasion.

Again, awesome job and looking forward to working together on future projects.

David Cosentino

Sun and Moon Marketing Communications

The Epix Free-for-all Movie Event- Event Marketing Done Right

September 7th, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

5^th Avenue Digital has been busy this summer as the official photographer for the Epix Movie Free-For-All in New York City. Epix, MTV, NYC & Company, the city’s parks, and other sponsors have been showing first-run classic films and popular recent releases at four outdoor locations in around town.

The sponsors turned to 5^th Avenue Digital to shoot event photos of the audiences enjoying this wonderful summer evening activity. There have been about four screenings a week at four locations around the city: Tompkins Square Park, Coney Island, Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens and McCarren Park in Brooklyn. We’ve had a photographer at each event, shooting the crowd.

Here’s the coolest part: how we were able to help epix with their event marketing efforts.  At the event, our photographers provide attendees with a web address. Within 24 hours after each Epix Movie Free-For-All showing, our team has uploaded all the images and posted them on the designated website. There, people find their photo, print it, save it, or even share it by email with family and friends. Event marketing at its best.

The Epix Movie Free-For-All photos show New Yorkers at their summer best, enjoying the outdoors and each other. People love them! Visits to the EPix site have exceeded expectations, with thousands of people viewing, sharing and printing their photos. Check it out these great shots for yourself:  http://freeforall.epixhd.com/photos

5^th Avenue Digital is thrilled to be a part of this quintessential event marketing opportunity and great summer activity. We can’t wait to see what is planned for next summer!

If you have an event coming up and are interested in providing your attendees with the kind of event marketing service that we provided for Epix Movie Free-For-All, please feel free to contact us.  This is what event marketing is all about.

The Photobooth: A New Event and Party Phenomenon

August 22nd, 2011 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

We’re seeing more and more interest in our photobooth – it’s the favorite new thing for corporate and social parties alike. But some folks still aren’t sure of what a photobooth is and how it works.

What’s a Photobooth?

It’s a self-contained, attractive unit that allows you to take your own photos. They print right in front of you in just seconds. It’s the easiest, most memorable party favor around!

How Does a Photobooth Work?

All the magic is in the unit. All you have to do is book the photobooth and smile. Unlike other photobooths, YouBooth photo booth, is free-standing. No squeezing into a tiny booth  Plus, we bring the YouBooth, photobooth to your event, set it up, stay with it to assist, and take it away at the end. You get unlimited, full-size 4×6″ prints (not little strips) – and lots of compliments.

Why has the Photobooth gained popularity again?

Digital photography lends itself to many instant photography options. This together with the fact that the DIY generation loves anything that can be done themselves, makes the new round of photobooth perfect for the new generation of users.

What are the photobooth options?

The best part of the YouBooth Photobooth is the ability to customize the experience for your brand or social event.  Photos can be printed with a custom border, a logo or the guest of honor’s name and the event date.  The backdrop can be customized in numerous ways: with streamers, fabric, a printed background, or a beautiful element in the room, such a painting or decorative wall.  You can even use green screen technology, which will create a photo background that represents any place you want.  Tell us what you want to create, and we can probably find a way to do it.

The Gorgeous Look of Love at a Montauk Wedding

August 8th, 2011 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Last weekend we had the distinct pleasure of photographing the wedding of Rebekah and Makenzie at Gurney’s Inn in Montauk.  This beautiful bride phoned us a mere month before her wedding.  Although their wedding was in Montauk, Rebekah and her fiancé live in North Carolina so she was handling everything long distance.

Rebekah had reservations about her original photographer, and after talking to us and seeing our wedding work, she listened to her gut and decided to go with our photographer Jesse.

We are so glad she did!  Despite the 90 degree weather, Rebekah and Makenzie were serene … even blissful.  Theirs is a beautiful love story told in the way she looks at him. Read the rest of this entry »